Gore: creationism OK

[Michael Hoover]

> We may advocate the teaching of comparative religion (of which Christianity
> should be only a part) in public schools, which should also include a study
> of the history of philosophy, as well as the history of racist and sexist
> misuse of science.  Should be quite interesting, though I am not sure how
> many public school teachers are up to such a demanding task.
> Alternatively, a course in the study of Biblical scholarship and its
> vicissitude may be taught as part of English or history.  I didn't come to
> the USA until I entered grad school, so I don't know if the above is
> already part of public school education somewhere.
> However, I don't think that such a way of including religion in public
> education would appease fundamentalists, who do not think of their Book as
> just a piece of literature or historical document.
> Yoshie

I believe precedent about study of Bible and offering courses on religion 
in public schools remains *Abingdon v Schemp* (1963) in which then-Supreme
Court held that US constitution prevents neither when presented as part of
secular program of education.  Florida has both comparative religions and 
Christianity course on its secondary school curriculum list as electives.

Also, Supreme Court ruled in *Edwards v Agullard* (1987), that states
cannot forbid teaching evolution unless accompanied by 'theory of 
creation science.'  Isn't that, in effect, what new Kansas policy does?

If all other factors were equal and maybe even though they aren't, I think 
it likely most students, if presented the creation story and evolution in 
academic context, would choose latter.  Maybe I'm naive.  Michael Hoover